1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable telephone having an optical communication function.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, a portable telephone having an infrared ray communication function has been provided.
For example, Japanese Laid Open Patent Application (JP-A-Heisei 8-293830) proposes an apparatus for transmitting a data provided by a non-voice communication service of a private telephone network from a portable telephone through an infrared ray communication to a display adapter to display it thereon.
Japanese Laid Open Patent Application (JP-A-Heisei 9-186574) proposes the following apparatus. That is, a control circuit compares an emitted infrared light with an infrared light of a reception light in which the emitted infrared light is reflected by a reflection plate, and then detects an information indicative of a fact that the received infrared light is cut off in accordance with the compared result. This cut off information is wirelessly transmitted from a wirelessly transmitting and receiving circuit to other terminal devices, or it is outputted from a handset device as a voice, displayed on a display, and stored in a memory circuit. Accordingly, this apparatus enables the moving states of a man and a body and the like to be detected. Thus, it is possible to improve a utilization efficiency of the terminal device.
Also, Japanese Laid Open Patent Application (JP-A-Heisei 9-237145) proposes an apparatus for transmitting and outputting a data of characters and voices within a portable telephone through an infrared ray communication to a television receiver.
Moreover, Japanese Laid Open Patent Application (JP-A-Heisei 10-303824) proposes an apparatus for transmitting a data between a portable telephone and an option device thereof through an infrared ray communication.
As mentioned above, the portable telephone having the infrared ray communication function to transmit and receive the various data to and from external apparatuses have been proposed. And, the portable telephone tends to be put into practical use.
By the way, if such infrared ray communication is applied to the portable telephone, when a power supply to an infrared ray sending and receiving device is always turned on, a battery is excessively exhausted to thereby, for example, shorten a continuously waiting time in the portable telephone.
If the infrared ray receiver is set at a constant actuation state, an erroneous recognition must be avoided when another infrared ray data is received.
If it is designed to set an infrared ray communication by using a function key, an addition of a new key operation is brought about in a portable telephone having further many functions, which results in a complex operation.
The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems of the conventional portable telephone. An object of the present invention is to provide a portable telephone which can control an actuation and a stop of a light transmitting and receiving device through an easy operation and effectively use an optical communication function.
In order to achieve an aspect of the present invention, a portable telephone apparatus, includes a body, a window section provided in the body, a cover section provided on the body to cover the window section, wherein the cover section is opened and closed, an optical communication section provided inside the body, wherein the optical communication section performs an optical communication through the window section when the cover section is opened and a control section provided in the body, wherein the control section activates the optical communication section when the cover section is opened and deactivates the optical communication section when the cover section is closed.
In this case, the portable telephone apparatus further includes a power supply section, and wherein the control section connects the optical communication section to the power supply section when the cover section is opened and disconnects the optical communication section from the power supply section when the cover section is closed.
Also in this case, the control section includes a first switching section and a second switching section, wherein the first switching section is switched in response to an operation of the window section and the second switching section detects a switching condition of the first switching section and switches, based on the detected switching condition, between a first condition that the optical communication section is connected to the power supply section and a second condition that the optical communication section is disconnected from the power supply section.
Further in this case, the cover section is tiltably provided on the body such that the cover section can be opened and closed.
Also in this case, the cover section is slidably engaged with the body such that the cover section can be opened and closed.
Further in this case, the cover section is removably provided on the body such that the cover section can be opened and closed.
In this case, the optical communication section performs an infrared ray communication.
Also in this case, the optical communication section outputs an optical signal.
Further in this case, the optical communication section inputs an optical signal.
Also in this case, the optical communication section outputs and inputs optical signals.
In this case, the portable telephone apparatus further includes an operating section to which an operation signal is supplied, and wherein the control section activates the optical communication section when the operation signal is supplied to the operating section and the cover section is opened.
Also in this case, the portable telephone apparatus further includes an operating section to which an operation signal is supplied, and wherein the control section deactivates the optical communication section when the operation signal is not supplied to the operating section and the cover section is closed.
Further in this case, the window section is provided to orient an upper direction of the body when the portable telephone apparatus is used.
In this case, the portable telephone apparatus further includes a display section provided in a first surface portion of the body, wherein the display section displays a number dialed, and wherein the window section is provided in a second surface portion of the body substantially orthogonal to the first surface portion, and wherein the second surface portion has two sides substantially opposite to each other, and the first surface portion is closer to a first side of the two sides than a second side thereof, and the cover section is tiltable to the body with respect to an axial line provided along the second side and disposed near to the second side.
Also in this case, the portable telephone apparatus further includes a display section provided in a first surface portion of the body, wherein the display section displays a number dialed, and wherein the window section is provided in a second surface portion of the body substantially orthogonal to the first surface portion, and wherein the second surface portion has two sides substantially opposite to each other, and the first surface portion is closer to a first side of the two sides than a second side thereof, and the cover section is slidable in such a direction that the cover section is spaced further from the second side.
In order to achieve another aspect of the present invention, an optical communication method of a portable telephone apparatus, includes (a) providing a portable telephone, wherein the portable telephone includes a body and an optical communication section provided inside the body, (b) covering the optical communication section, (c) deactivating the optical communication section when the optical communication section is covered, (d) opening the optical communication section, and (e) activating the optical communication section when the optical communication section is opened.
In this case, the (c) includes stopping a supply of a power to the optical communication section, and the (e) includes supplying the power to the optical communication section.
Also in this case, the (e) includes activating the optical communication section when the optical communication section is opened and a operation signal is supplied to the portable telephone apparatus by a user of the portable telephone apparatus.
In a portable telephone in the present invention, when an optical communication function is used, an open operation is performed on a cover to thereby open a window. Accordingly, an optical communication device is externally exposed to be set at a state at which the optical communication can be carried out. Also, this open operation to the cover enables the optical communication device to be automatically set at an actuation state by a switching circuit. Thus, various data can be transmitted through the optical communication to external apparatuses.
When the optical communication function is not used, a close operation is performed on the cover to thereby close the window. Accordingly, the optical communication device can be shielded from the external portion to thereby exclude the reception of an unnecessary optical signal. Also, this close operation to the cover enables the optical communication device to be automatically set at a stop state by the switching circuit. Thus, an electrical power consumption can be reduced.